Top Five NFL Teams Going Into 2022

With the 2022 preseason less than a month away and rankings of teams, players, etc., going around, it is time to discuss the best teams heading into the NFL season. While some fans study as far out as checking NFL week 6 odds, others are just getting started now and have no idea what to expect going into the season. While the Bengals and Rams have high expectations from being in the previous Super Bowl, other factors come into play here, such as the NFL draft, free agency, trades, and more. Let’s jump in and see who are the best five teams heading into the NFL season.

5. Los Angeles Chargers

Heading into the offseason, no one expected the Chargers to make as many moves as they did. Free agency is where this team re-signed receiver Mike Williams and added players like tight end Gerald Everett, defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day, and cornerback JC Jackson. On top of that, they acquired pass rusher Khalil Mack who will help out the already dominant Joey Bosa. In the draft, they added Zion Johnson to help protect top-ten quarterback Justin Herbert and also added running back Isiah Spiller to help relieve the workload of Austin Ekeler. The Chargers’ strong offense and defense should get them far this year.

4. Kansas City Chiefs

Following the trade of star receiver Tyreek Hill, many thought the Chiefs might fall off a bit. That isn’t the case as Mahomes is still the quarterback of this team, and although Hill is hard to replace, the Chiefs added Skyy Moore in the draft and Marquez Valdes-Scantling and JuJu Smith-Schuster in free agency. On top of that, they still have Kelce at tight end. Outside of their offense, the Chiefs bolstered their defense by drafting George Karlaftis and Trent McDuffie at pass rusher and cornerback. Although they also lost Tyrann Mathieu and replaced him with Juan Thornhill and Justin Reid, the key to the Chiefs’ success still runs through Andy Reid and Mahomes.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

After a surprising retirement and un-retirement from quarterback Tom Brady, the Buccaneers went from contenders to non-contenders and back to contenders in a matter of weeks. While they did lose Rob Gronkowski to retirement, the Bucs added Russell Gage as another offensive weapon and will join the likes of Chris Godwin, Mike Evans, and Leonard Fournette. New coach Todd Bowles will have some pressure as he replaces Bruce Arians, but his defensive expertise should help keep the Bucs in contention. Like the Chiefs, their success lies in the hands of their quarterback and until Brady shows a decline, backing him is a must.

2. Los Angeles Rams

The reigning Super Bowl champions, LA Rams, come into the season by shaking some things up on their roster but mostly keeping things the same as they believe they can repeat again. During the offseason, the Rams lost players like Robert Woods, Sebastian Joseph-Day, and Von Miller but followed that up by adding replacements like Allen Robinson and Bobby Wagner. While Odell Beckham Jr. remains unsigned and uncertain to play for the Rams, they still have Cooper Kupp as their top receiver and favorite connection for quarterback Matthew Stafford. While they didn’t get much better, the Rams also didn’t get much worse either. Look for them to make a strong push to defend their title.

Buffalo Bills

Coming in as the top-ranked team in most preseason ranks, the Buffalo Bills made some nice moves over the summer. The Bills added another target for Josh Allen with Jamison Crowder at receiver to help out Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis and also added pro-bowler Von Miller to help out the already strong defense. In the draft, this team added James Cook at running back as just another strong weapon in the offense. They also drafted Kaiir Elam to help the secondary. With a defense that was already number one, adding Elam and Miller as well as getting Tre’Davious White back from injury will only make them stronger. With star quarterback Josh Allen leading the way on offense, look for this team to be in contention again and possibly reach the Super Bowl.